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"...Setting Fire To The Tail Of A Fox..."
What you have here is a reissue of a reissue of a reissue of a...
Well, let me explain, because it's gonna need some...
26 October 1998 saw master-compiler
and all-round good guy John Reed of Sanctuary Records release "The Pye
Anthology: Let The Heartaches Begin" on Sanctuary's label imprint Sequel
Records. Sequel NEECD 298 (Barcode 5023224229823) was a 42-Track 2CD
Set of Remasters for Long John Baldry and contained seven new songs that were
previously unreleased at the time. The period covered is 1967 to 1970 and is widely known as his Pop phase.
"The Pye Anthology: Let The Heartaches Begin" sported a white-backdrop artwork with a Paisley-esque pomp and circumstance Baldry leaning into camera in three images where he's giving it some crooner with a possible side order of constipation. To confuse matters ever more, here in August 2023, I can trace at least three reissues of that "The Pye Anthology: Let The Heartaches Begin" variant with its posed artwork to September 2002, February 2007 and July 2011 (see photo below).
To confuse matters even more, what we here from February 2006 (pictured above) is the same set - but with different artwork, a rejiggered track configuration and now with its title reversed to read "Let The Heartaches Begin: The Pye Anthology" - in short - yet another reissue. This time it's on Castle Music – a budget line subsidiary label for Sanctuary (full details below).
So -
now called "Let The Heartaches Begin: The Pye Anthology" - you get the same 42-tracks, the same 1998 remastered songs from original
tapes and the same cool and thorough John Reed liner notes – something this brilliant
compiler and archivist of music is known for. The foldout inlay even updates its 1998 words to include Baldry's sad loss in July 2005 to cancer.
His Pop Period is not revered like his more Bluesy efforts and in some cases poo–pooed from a height. In fairness to this fantastic British singer (an interpretive singer and showman many have loved to bits) – it was Long John Baldry's six-foot-two reach for mainstream stardom having been about for more years than he cared to remember banging his pretty head against a very high wall. So - JB had sort of ditched his natural playground of White Boy purveyor of Bluesy Soul and American R&B beloved of the Mods and hip types everywhere - for the oh-baby marketplace of 60ts Pop and indeed did score a Number 1 hit with "Let The Heartaches Begin" (hence the title of the compilation).
But as I said earlier - there are many who do not rate this slice of his dappled career. And they have a point. There is crud on here for damn sure. But inbetween the cracks, there is also that fantastic voice and Alexis Korner type cool persona that carries through even the most obvious of cover versions. The second LP in particular sees him leaning back into Blues Rock and heading towards the two beloved Warner Brothers albums of 1971 and 1972 (where Elton John and Rod Stewart both lend a hand and their bands). Let's get to the 60ts heart-breaking details...
UK released February 2006 - "Let The Heartaches Begin: The Pye Anthology" by LONG JOHN BALDRY on Castle Music CMDDD1277 (Barcode 5050749412775) is a 42-Track 2CD Compilation covering 1967 to 1970 and plays out as follows:
CD1 (64:28 minutes):
1. Let The Heartaches Begin
2. Annabelle (Who Flies To Me When She's Lonely)
3. Long And Lonely Nights (No Friend Of Mine)
4. Stay With Me Baby
5. Every Time We Save Goodbye
6. For All we Know
7. Better By Far
8. Wise To The Ways Of The World
9. Since I Lost You Baby
10. Smile
11. We're Together
12. I Can't Stop Loving You
13. Hold Back The Daybreak
14. When The Sun Comes Shining Thru'
15. Mexico (Underneath The Sun In)
16. It's Too Late Now
17. Wait For Me
18. Don't Pity Me
19. Lord You Made The Night Too Long
20. Mexico (Spanish Version)
NOTES on CD1:
Tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of an October 1967 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17385 (see also follow two notes below)
Tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 1 make up Side 1 of his January 1968 UK LP "Let The Heartaches Begin" on Pye NPL 18208 (Mono) and NSPL 18208 (Stereo) – the Stereo Mix is Used on All Tracks
Tracks 8, 9, 10, 2, 11 and 12 are Side 2 of his January 1968 UK LP "Let The Heartaches Begin" on Pye NPL 18208 (Mono) and NSPL 18208 (Stereo) – the Stereo Mix is Used on All Tracks
Track 13 is the A-side of a February 1968 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17455 – its B-side was Track 9
Track 14 is the A-side of an August 1968 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17593 – its B-side was Track 8
Track 15 is the A-side of an October 1968 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17563 credited as "Mexico" – its B-side was Track 11
Track 16 is the A-side of a January 1969 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17664 – its B-side was Track 3
Tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides of a September 1968 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17815; Track 17 also on the November 1969 LP "Wait For Me" on Pye NSPL 18306 in Stereo (last Track on Side 2) – see also Tracks 1 to 11 on CD2
Track 19 is a 1969 Export Single A-side on Pye 7N 17408
Track 20 is a Spanish language sung 45-single A-side on Pye H-400
CD2 (71:20 minutes):
1. Sunshine Of Your Love
2. Spanish Harlem
3. Henry Hannah's 42nd Street Parking Lot
4. Man Without A Dream
5. Cry Like A Baby
6. River Deep, Mountain High
7. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
8. MacArthur Park
9. When Brigadier McKenzie Comes To Town
10. Lights Of Cincinnati
11. Spinning Wheel
12. Well I Did
13. Setting Fire To The Tail Of A Fox
14. When The War Is Over
15. Where Are My Eyes?
16. Son Of Hickory Hollers Tramp *
17. Goin' Out Of My Head *
18. I Never Shall Marry *
19. I Wish You Love *
20. What Now My Love *
21. Bad Times *
22. Ciao Baby *
NOTES on CD2:
Tracks 1 to 11 on CD2 and Track 17 on CD1 are the November 1969 UK LP "Wait For Me" on Pye NSPL 18306 in Stereo (Tracks 1 to 6 are Side 1 inclusive, Side 2 can be sequenced as Tracks 7 to 11 and Track 17 on CD1
Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides to a 27 March 1970 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 17921
Tracks 14 and 15 are the A&B-sides of a withdrawn 20 November 1970 UK 45-single, Pye 7N 45007
Tracks 16 to 22 (*) first issued as seven Previously Unreleased songs on the October 1998 UK 2CD compilation "The Pye Anthology: Let The Heartaches Begin" on Sequel NEECD 298 (Barcode 5023224229823) – see also Track 14 on CD1 for the eighth title
Compiled by ROGER DOPSON and JOHN REED - the foldout double-sided inlay with its 6-panels to each side was a feature of these Sanctuary reissues in the Nineties – JOHN REED doing the liner notes honours. Period memorabilia like sheet music, 45-single labels, music-press trade adverts, foreign picture sleeves, in-studio shots and the two album-covers surround Reed's informative and deeply affectionate words. The effect is very tastefully done and packs an info-punch when you look closer (accurate catalogue numbers beneath each song title – 45 and LP). The remasters and restoration has been done by PETER J. REYNOLDS and given the hurried feel to the Stereo tracks – does a great job. If I were to nitpick, I would say CD1 sounds worse for wear, but CD2 makes up for it. Much like the music...
This is a tale of two CDs – the first is pretty bad with 3-stars pushing it as far as the material is concerned. But you flip over to CD2 and you clap ears on the lushly orchestrated "Wait For Me" LP from late 1969 and things immediately improve (even if his chart placing didn't). His song choices are snappier – the gorgeous "Man Without A Dream" had turned up on The City album "Now That Everything's Been Said" on Ode Records in January 1969 – The City being a vehicle for Carole King and the band she was in before she went on to solo superstar status in 1970 and 1971. That band also featured players like Danny 'Kootch' Kortchmar later with James Taylor and Vocalist David Palmer in pre Steely Dan's debut album "Can't Buy A Thrill" looming in the 1972 distance. "Man Without A Dream" is a plaintive ballad, but a damn good one. His cover of Cream's "Sunshine Of My Love" too stands up more than well – hell – even his deep toned "Spanish Harlem" that borders on copyist parody is pulled off by gorgeous Vocals, Strings and a Herb Albert type Brass that lifts the whole thing right up.
Lyrically witty "Henry Hannah's 42nd Street Parking Lot" tells of Baldry being tricked by a New York scamster (the cops took him home in his shorts, a nervous and a confused man). The Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham penned Cher hit "Cry Like A Baby" gets the thumping Bass and Brass treatment that is perhaps just a little too busy for Northern Soul dancer fans. His huge voice suits the wild melodrama of "River Deep, Mountain High" – do I love you – my oh my. But the Motown Marvin Gaye gem "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" is butchered with overdone arrangements as is "MacArthur Park" – a piece of Jimmy Webb dross I could do without ever hearing again.
Writer Tony Macaulay provides two in a row – the best of which is the very Glen Campbell "Lights Of Cincinnati" given it a sort of follow up to Galveston. Better though is a Blood, Sweat & Tears cover – the fabulous ride-a-painted-pony shug-a-thon "Spinning Wheel" – the kind of hip swinger that suits Baldry – and you wish the album contained more of this – his voice almost identical to David Clayton-Thomas as he takes it home towards its brassy exiting moments. Another stab at chart fame in "Well I Did" again could have done without over-cluttering girly vocals after every verse. Faring better is his own "Setting The Tail Of A Fox On Fire" – a dancer that this benefits from the lady backing singers and clever lyrics (the album would have been better with this on it). The final pairing of "When The War Is Over" and "Where Are My Eyes?" seems to be a bit of a mystery. Supposed issued 17 November 1970, Pye 7N 45007 has yet to surface as an actual 45 in the UK (or anywhere for that matter). Probably an export pairing that never got out of the stocks because Baldry was done with Pye and they with him (just as well as both are saccharin that don't do him any favours).
We are then hit with Seven Previously Unreleased songs – a couple of which are shockingly good given some of the schmaltz that preceded them. The first is a hip-shaking get-with-it-people bopper called "Son Of Hickory Hollers Tramp" that sounds like Baldry has become Bobbie Gentry and wants to put y'all right. JB then takes on the Little Anthony & The Imperials 60ts Doo Wop Smooth Pop classic "Goin' Out Of My Head" and makes a good job of it too. Things unfortunately then dip into serious yuck territory again with drips like "I Never Shall Marry" and "I Wish You Love" where our hero goes all Nat 'King' Cole with mostly deeply unsuited to this results. Even Tom Jones would probably disown the remaining two.
You could argue that this twofer compilation covering his Pye Records period is superfluous to anyone’s requirements and a body should go to directly to the 2CD delights of "The UA Years 1964-1966" on EMI Records from 2006 and even better the "Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" 2CD set put out by Rhino Handmade in 2005 that covers his June 1971 and May 1972 albums "It Ain't Easy" and "Everything Stops For Tea" – both of which are far better (I have reviewed "Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" and its UK equivalents).
But I am a sucker for all things JOHN BALDRY and even if it is 3-stars for material, I want them in my house. Take a tumble with the "Son Of Hickory Hollers Tramp" – you will get the itch that needs more scratching...
